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Forensic Sciences
Special Issues
Post-COVID-19 Era Forensics—the Advantages and Challenges of Digital Transformation
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Post-COVID-19 Era Forensics—the Advantages and Challenges of Digital Transformation

A special issue of Forensic Sciences (ISSN 2673-6756).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 July 2025 | Viewed by 5657

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ivan Šoša

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Anatomy, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
Interests: injury; bone biology; BMPs; digital transformation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After reaching a dead-end with COVID-19, forensic medicine seems to be back to square one. At least figures related to clinical vs. autopsy findings discrepancy (CAD) indicate so. Data over the last fifty years say exactly that; forensic medicine has not moved too far at all. This trend may be for a number of reasons, and this Special Issue aims to discuss each of them. Advances in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions do not mitigate CAD sufficiently. In fact, the data indicate that this disagreement has been growing recently, and this SI is looking for and offering answers to the question: why? This should consider the specificity of the population, the amount of data that can be incorporated into the autopsy reports, the length of stay in hospital prior to death, declining autopsy rates, etc. Moreover, standard autopsy does not always detect the cause of an individual’s death, so this “era of the new beginning” introduces advanced interventions even for the field of forensic medicine (as are verbal and molecular autopsy, or post-mortem CT).

Topics

  • Post-COVID-19 era postmortems
  • Minimally invasive postmortem
  • Digital transition
  • Forensics in the Society 5.0
  • Modern clinical advances and the legal medicine
  • Medical student and legal medicine

Dr. Ivan Šoša
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forensic Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • clinical-autopsy discrepancies
  • advances in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions
  • digital transition
  • verbal autopsy
  • PMCT
  • education

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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6 pages, 196 KiB  
Communication
Lessons from the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: Perspectives in the Medico-Legal Field
by Rosario Barranco, Andrea Molinelli, Gabriele Rocca and Francesco Ventura
Forensic Sci. 2024, 4(4), 604-609; https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci4040042 - 13 Nov 2024
Viewed by 455
Abstract
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to an enormous global health, social and economic crisis. The pandemic caused considerable upheaval and considerable difficulties due to an unforeseen and devastating health condition. Materials and Methods: We discuss the numerous challenges encountered in the [...] Read more.
Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to an enormous global health, social and economic crisis. The pandemic caused considerable upheaval and considerable difficulties due to an unforeseen and devastating health condition. Materials and Methods: We discuss the numerous challenges encountered in the fields of forensic medicine and public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Particularly during the first wave of the pandemic, forensic pathologists faced significant difficulties due to the lack of safe autopsy protocols and insufficient personal protective equipment. Mainly in Europe, they had to manage a substantial number of potential cases of medical liability related to COVID-19. The widespread outbreak of the virus in residential care homes and prisons posed another significant challenge. Furthermore, forensic pathologists had to address the issue of complications arising from vaccination campaigns. Conclusions: This article underscores the need for continued efforts in scientific research and healthcare preparedness to effectively manage such complex crises. Forensic pathologists must be equipped with the necessary resources and training to address unpredictable, complex situations with far-reaching social implications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19 Era Forensics—the Advantages and Challenges of Digital Transformation)

Review

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13 pages, 706 KiB  
Review
Improving Traditional Post Mortem Healthcare—The Cross-Sectional Use of Blood-Based Biomarkers
by Ivan Šoša
Forensic Sci. 2023, 3(3), 368-380; https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci3030028 - 10 Jul 2023
Viewed by 2108
Abstract
Many tools of clinical medicine, such as clinical chemistry and diagnostic imaging, are prioritized for clinical diagnosis over post mortem diagnosis. Indeed, it is reasonable that the assessment of a patient’s functional status should take priority over the post mortem, cross-sectional use of [...] Read more.
Many tools of clinical medicine, such as clinical chemistry and diagnostic imaging, are prioritized for clinical diagnosis over post mortem diagnosis. Indeed, it is reasonable that the assessment of a patient’s functional status should take priority over the post mortem, cross-sectional use of diagnostic tests and laboratory equipment. In addition, these tools are sometimes expensive, and their use does not always have a reasonable cost–benefit ratio. However, some post mortem observations, such as inflammation, pulmonary edema, or infiltration and cerebral swelling, cannot be explained without using immunohistochemical markers for post mortem diagnosis. Introducing blood-based biomarkers into post mortem care could significantly reduce the rates of inconclusive post mortems and discrepancies in autopsy findings and clinical diagnoses. This is particularly relevant in relation to vascular pathology, considering the significant burden that vascular diseases represent for overall mortality. Expanding traditional autopsies with blood-based (circulating) biomarkers to avoid invasive post mortem examination would have cultural, religious, and potentially economic advantages. All of the target molecules were discussed in the context of the processes they up-regulate or down-regulate, which turned out to be the final cause of death. Ultimately, it is evident that further studies are needed to provide concrete validation for using a combination of markers for each case to reach a post mortem diagnosis with or without clinical records. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19 Era Forensics—the Advantages and Challenges of Digital Transformation)
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Other

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8 pages, 228 KiB  
Case Report
Complex Death Associated with Intra-Hospital Adverse Events and SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia: Court-Appointed Medico-Legal Evaluation
by Giuseppe Basile, Graziano Pisano, Vittorio Bolcato, Giovanni Fassina and Livio Pietro Tronconi
Forensic Sci. 2024, 4(4), 669-676; https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci4040046 - 10 Dec 2024
Viewed by 369
Abstract
Background: Among the deaths recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, some were caused by clinical manifestations of venous thromboembolic disease, mainly pulmonary embolism. Several litigations were settled worldwide for professional malpractice associated with COVID-19 and anticoagulant therapy management. The authors aimed to discuss, as [...] Read more.
Background: Among the deaths recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic, some were caused by clinical manifestations of venous thromboembolic disease, mainly pulmonary embolism. Several litigations were settled worldwide for professional malpractice associated with COVID-19 and anticoagulant therapy management. The authors aimed to discuss, as court-appointed consultants in civil court, a case settled for compensation against a healthcare facility associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Case report: We described the case of an old patient in therapy with a direct oral anticoagulant for thrombotic diathesis, hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia, who died after two intra-hospital adverse events influencing coagulation imbalance. Discussion: Two health professionals’ malpractice hypotheses were discussed related to the adverse events’ occurrence: one related to the administration of an enema, resulting in rectal perforation, and the other related to proper anticoagulant prophylaxis and comprehensive coagulation imbalance management after the rectal perforation in a patient at high risk of venous thromboembolic disease. Intra-hospital adverse events complicated the hospitalization and then significantly reduced the concrete possibility, even uncertain in terms of time and extent, of the patient’s living longer, representing the damage of reduced possibilities of survival, also called loss-of-chance damage. Conclusions: The case discussed as court advisors, characterized by clinical and legal complexity, together with SARS-CoV-2 infection, underscores the vital role of forensic examiners in cause-of-death ascertainment and as interpreters of statistical-probabilistic data according to naturalistic, logical, and scientific criteria. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19 Era Forensics—the Advantages and Challenges of Digital Transformation)
14 pages, 2825 KiB  
Systematic Review
Postmortem Gone Astray—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Ivan Šoša and Manuela Perković
Forensic Sci. 2024, 4(2), 243-256; https://doi.org/10.3390/forensicsci4020017 - 5 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1410
Abstract
Premortem clinical diagnoses and postmortem autopsy findings do not match historically. These clinicopathological discrepancies are expected to be higher during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic due to increased pressure on healthcare. At the same time, autopsies and clinicopathological discrepancies accurately display the [...] Read more.
Premortem clinical diagnoses and postmortem autopsy findings do not match historically. These clinicopathological discrepancies are expected to be higher during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic due to increased pressure on healthcare. At the same time, autopsies and clinicopathological discrepancies accurately display the quality of the healthcare system. To assess that, we examined the relevant works of literature according to the PRISMA-based protocol. As a discrepancy rate change-related antemortem scrutiny of medical care in the hospital, we also checked whether studies with patients from the intensive care unit (ICU) differed in discrepancies significantly. We found similar overall risk differences in “pre-COVID” and “during the pandemic” groups of studies. Based on this, we concluded that healthcare quality did not drop significantly during the pandemic. Be that as it may, the pandemic exposed some shortcomings in mortem healthcare regarding consensus to the autopsy, organ retention, burial, and the postponed burial or the digitalization of postmortem healthcare. All of these issues should be addressed in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-COVID-19 Era Forensics—the Advantages and Challenges of Digital Transformation)
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